There’s something special about a Brooklyn-style pizza—thin and foldable with a crispy edge, chewy bite, and simple, flavorful toppings. This homemade version delivers pizzeria-quality straight from your kitchen. The secret? A high-gluten bread flour dough that rests overnight in the fridge, and a no-fuss topping combo of mozzarella, crushed tomatoes, and fresh basil. Whether it’s Friday night or a fun family weekend project, this pizza is worth the wait!
Dough Ingredients:
- ¼ cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Topping Ingredients:
- 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup no-salt-added canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 leaves fresh basil, torn
Instructions for the Day Before:
- Make the dough: Pour warm water into a large bowl, then sprinkle yeast over the top. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Stir in cold water and salt. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until incorporated.
- Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half and form each half into a tight dough ball. Coat with olive oil and refrigerate in a sealed container for at least 16 hours. Be sure to use containers large enough to allow the dough to rise.
Pizza Day Instructions:
- Remove both doughs from the refrigerator at least one hour before use.
- Preheat the oven with a pizza stone on the lowest rack to 550°F (288°C). Lightly dust a pizza peel with flour.
- Prepare the first pizza: Lightly dust one dough ball with flour and stretch it gradually until it is about 14 inches in diameter, or about the size of the pizza stone. Place on the floured peel.
- Lay 1/2 of the mozzarella on the crust, then sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon oregano and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over the top. Randomly arrange 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes over the pizza, leaving some empty areas, then drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the top.
- With a quick back-and-forth motion, ensure the dough releases easily from the peel. Place the tip of the peel at the back of the preheated pizza stone, then remove the peel so that the pizza remains on the stone.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the crust begins to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Slide the pizza onto the peel and remove from the oven; then slide off the peel onto a work surface. Sprinkle 1/2 of the basil leaves randomly over the pizza. Cut into wedges and serve.
- Follow these steps to make the second pizza with the additional dough that’s already out of the refrigerator.
My Thoughts and Ideas:…